Salzburg: A Clearly-Laid Ambush for Theresa May

EU27 leaders invite UK Prime Minister Theresa May to Salzburg to shoot down her Chequers plan without offering a single counter-proposal or suggestion.

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EU leaders had been heard praising Theresa May’s Chequers plan in recent days and no doubt, she was in fine spirits as she flew to meet EU leaders in Salzburg Austria… only to find that her well-intentioned plan was unexpectedly ripped to shreds by some of those attending.

For some observers this came as a complete surprise, but for others it seemed an obvious psychological trap for Ms. May that would undermine her credibility on the world stage and work to strengthen her rapacious cohorts in the UK House of Commons who (the EU hopes) would become more united in overthrowing her than working for the UK.

Here’s what The Times of London is saying:

“For the embattled UK government, the punishment beating meted out by the EU this week will be deeply dispiriting. Salzburg was supposed to be a moment of breakthrough, or at least progress, with the Brexit talks unlocked by Chequers. Instead, the prime minister faces the daunting task of having to reset her Brexit policy to counter an intransigent EU.” — Absurd Salzburg show proves we’re right to go

Here’s what Britons should be saying:

“Having been snookered into joining the EU in 1993 without a vote on membership, we’ve since voted to Leave (the first time we were allowed to vote on the matter) and as we’ve overpaid (subsidized) the EU budget since 1993 more than any EU country except Germany, would you mind treating us *about as well* as you treat any other significant market for your goods?”

Theresa May Keeps Jumping & the EU Says “Not High Enough”

Apparently, Theresa May jumping into the stratosphere every time the EU beckons isn’t good enough for the EU27 leaders.

The Prime Minister must be out of breath by now, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down! Every two or three weeks she gets summoned before the EU Sanhedrin to explain why 17.4 million Britons decided to vote to Leave that august body — and why would she listen to British voters anyway?

Over the summer, it became something else when a number EU leaders believed they could browbeat Theresa May into delaying Brexit by telling her she should hold ‘another referendum to ensure that the British people are certain they want to Leave the illustrious EU.’

And now, it’s become something else again. It’s a game. They get Theresa May feeling hopeful that the EU has finally accepted her overly generous Chequers proposal… then they drop her off the edge of the world.

As far as negotiating tactics are concerned; Between enemies this is a perfectly legitimate machination. But for one EU country to employ it against a fellow EU country (albeit, one that’s soon to leave the EU) it is unseemly, at best. Lowbrow, at worst.

Were I Theresa May’s Chief of Staff, I would have said, “Get your stuff, we’re leaving” and flown her back to the UK myself if the pilots weren’t immediately available — without so much as informing the hotel front desk in Salzburg.

When people set you up to fail, they’re not your friends. So don’t be there.

A well-known quote: “Every day, we teach others how to treat us.” Therefore, if Theresa May continues to allow EU leaders to set her up for a fall and use tactics against her that are appropriate to use against the EU’s existential enemies only (certainly not to a fellow EU member and major contributor to the European project in the postwar era) without standing up for herself, she deserves everything she gets and I wouldn’t feel sorry for her in the least.

That’s the way you stand up for yourself. Whether I like or dislike Theresa May and her policies, we should expect EU leaders to treat the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and British voters with a high level of respect if they want to receive the same in return.

“Every day, we teach others how to treat us.” — Remember?

Whether they realize it, or not, the EU is teaching the Prime Minister that no matter how hard she tries to create a polite Brexit, they will arbitrarily disregard her well-intentioned plans, eventually causing her to give up on the EU as an institution where goodwill and diplomacy between nation states matter.

The United States is Looking Better Every Day!

Although President Donald Trump has firm convictions and definite plans for America, he’s a person who believes in polite diplomacy (whenever that is possible) and free trade when it works for the United States.

And on that note, America enjoys a trade surplus with the UK and has done so for as long as anyone can remember — which means the UK won’t be getting hit with U.S. tariffs anytime soon as the trade balance is in America’s favour.

In a ‘No Deal’ Brexit, the EU may need to find other customers for the millions of cars they export to the UK every decade. Germany alone exports 770,000 vehicles to Britain annually.

If the UK, the United States, and Canada sign a zero tariff trade deal on March 30, 2019 Britons will have access to more products than they’ve ever seen in their lives. And the price of goods in the United States and Canada are downright reasonable when compared to EU goods which often seem overly expensive for no discernible reason.

John Brian Shannon serves on the Editorial Board at Arabian Gazette. John has contributed to the United Nations Development Program and to corporate websites. Presently writing about Brexit at: https://lettertobritain.com

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